SVPler Benjamin Fischer wants to transform the training of teachers in Switzerland.Image: keystone
After the affair involving heart surgeon Francesco Maisano, a further ten potentially problematic cases of vested interests were identified at Zurich University Hospital. This and more can be found in the Sunday news.
May 17, 2026, 08:24May 17, 2026, 08:24
USZ discovers 10 more problem cases after the Maisano scandal
According to the “NZZ am Sonntag”, the Zurich University Hospital (USZ) has identified around ten more critical cases after the affair involving heart surgeon Francesco Maisano. The compliance committee appointed by the USZ has been examining potentially problematic vested interests and secondary employment since June 2025. In several cases, violations of compliance guidelines were identified and sanctions were imposed. The hospital is not providing details about this for confidentiality reasons. The new cases showed that the entanglement of medicine and the medtech industry goes beyond the Maisano case. The Zurich hand surgeon Daniel Herren spoke of a “delicate area of tension” between innovation, patient safety and economic interests. The USZ and the Geneva University Hospital (HUG) are now planning transparency registers for the investments and secondary activities of their doctors. Other hospitals already had such registers.
Swiss parts found in Russian drones
According to “NZZ am Sonntag”, Swiss microelectronics have also been found in Russian drones. Vladislav Vlasyuk, advisor to Ukrainian President Volodomyr Selensky, sharply criticized Switzerland for this reason. “90 percent of Russian drones contain components from Swiss companies,” Vlasyuk told the newspaper. This has not changed even after four years of war. While other countries have taken action against imports to Russia, Switzerland does not seem to understand “what is at stake”. The research is based on Russian customs data. These showed how, after the invasion of Ukraine, 30,000 shipments of war-important products from five Swiss companies were delivered to Russia via intermediaries. Some of the goods were imported via a smuggler network with connections to the Russian army. The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) has stated that it is aware of the problem and is in contact with the affected companies and partner countries.
No more junk food advertising for children: the federal government wants restrictions
According to “NZZ am Sonntag”, the federal government wants to severely restrict advertising of unhealthy foods to children. The Federal Office for Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs (BLV) is negotiating with the industry about voluntary self-regulation. Advertising for products that are too sweet, salty or fatty should be banned in schools and within a hundred meter radius. Advertisements for junk food are no longer allowed to be broadcast on television and radio around children’s programs. Restrictions are also planned for online advertising, children’s magazines and cinema spots before films for under-13s. According to the BLV, the aim is to better protect children from constant advertising. The food industry is generally prepared to make concessions, but is demanding exceptions before Christmas and Easter. The Federal Office rejects this. In order to resolve differences, another round of talks will take place in Bern on May 26th. The new advertising rules could come into force in 2027.
Valérie Dittli ready to forego her pension – but not to resign
According to “Le Matin Dimanche”, Vaud State Councilor Valérie Dittli is not thinking of resigning, despite several investigation reports and criminal proceedings for abuse of office. Dittli told the newspaper that she wanted to complete the current legislation and concentrate again on the issues “that interest the population.” She referred to her record in the areas of agriculture, digitalization and sustainability. Dittli rejected the accusation that she was holding on to her position because of the lifelong pension of 39,000 francs annually. If she were entitled to such a pension, she would forego it, she explained.
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Seco supports blocking of oligarchs’ money by Bank Julius Baer
According to “SonntagsBlick”, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) supported the blocking of $20 million at Julius Baer in the context of a sanctioned Russian oligarch. At the center is the Dutchman Alex van der Zwaan, son-in-law of the sanctioned oligarch German Khan. Shortly after the start of the Ukraine war, two transfers totaling $20 million were made to his Julius Baer account. Officially it was a gift. However, the bank blocked the money because it suspected that the sanctioned oligarch continued to exercise indirect control over it. Van der Zwaan defended himself against this and stated that no sanctions had been circumvented. The Seco confirmed the block because at the same time millions more were transferred to close family members of the oligarch when the sanctions against Russia began to take effect. This emerges from a detailed order available to the newspaper.
Gotthard accident: SBB has a row with reinsurers
According to “SonntagsBlick”, the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) are arguing with reinsurers about the amount of damage after the derailment of a freight train in the Gotthard Base Tunnel in August 2023. The SBB estimated the total damage in September 2024 at 150 million francs. Of this, around 140 million francs are expected to be insured. However, according to information from the newspaper, the reinsurers estimated the damage to be lower than the SBB. Upon request, the media office did not disclose how much SBB Insurance AG receives from its reinsurers. She also did not provide any information about the amount of the increased insurance premiums. However, the SBB announced that increasing premiums after such a major event are normal.
SVP wants PH to be abolished – and for teacher training
According to the “SonntagsZeitung”, the SVP is considering abolishing universities of education in favor of teacher training. The party is working on a new education policy position paper and is targeting teacher training. Among other things, a model with more practical components based on the model of a vocational apprenticeship is being discussed. National Councilor Benjamin Fischer said that the previous ideas still need to be adjusted. However, the SVP is already clearly criticizing the universities of teacher education. Above all, there is a lack of practical orientation. Teachers are trained by lecturers who have never taught themselves, Fischer told the newspaper. Similar criticism also comes from specialist circles. The Basel special education teacher Roland Stark recently described the universities of education as a “weak point in the education system”. The Basel SP also submitted several proposals in 2024 to strengthen the practical relevance of the training.
Moretti failed the bar exam – and then repeatedly got into trouble with the authorities
According to the “SonntagsZeitung”, the operator of the unfortunate bar “Le Constellation”, Jacques Moretti, initially failed the test for the innkeeper’s license. On his first attempt in 2011, he failed the hospitality law and hygiene and safety regulations module. This includes, among other things, alcohol legislation, fire protection and the prevention of alcohol abuse and drug addiction, as can be seen from a police report prepared on behalf of the public prosecutor’s office. It was only on the second attempt that Moretti was issued the cantonal certificate of proficiency in Lausanne. He later came into conflict with the authorities several times. In 2016, a criminal order was issued against him for employing foreigners without a permit. In 2020 he also received a fine because liquor was sold to minors in his business. A hygiene problem was also discovered during an inspection of his Senso restaurant in 2022.
More than 1,100,000 Serafe reminders sent
According to the “NZZ am Sonntag”, the Swiss collection agency for the radio and television tax Serafe sent out 1.1 million reminders last year. That is a new record. On average, more than one in four Swiss households received a payment request for a fee. The number of debt enforcement proceedings initiated has also established itself at a high level of over 110,000. Serafe justifies this with better address data and now more consistent debt collection. According to the report, income from dunning and collection fees increased sixfold within five years, from 0.9 million francs in 2020 to almost 6 million francs in 2025. According to the newspaper, a dispute broke out behind the scenes about the use of the millions in profits. Several minority shareholders, including long-time Serafe CEO Daniel Schweizer, sold their shares.
Mini-nuclear power plant plans in Aargau are gaining momentum
According to the “SonntagsZeitung”, the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) and the Danish start-up Copenhagen Atomics want to submit a license application for a nuclear test facility in the canton of Aargau by the end of 2026. The plan is to test a new type of liquid salt reactor for the next generation of nuclear power plants. The reactor would be operated in a purpose-built building with greatly reduced output. According to PSI researcher Andreas Pautz, no commercial use is planned. The plant belongs to the group of so-called Small Modular Reactors (SMR), which are currently seen as the hope of the nuclear industry. These mini-nuclear power plants are intended to be cheaper, quicker to build and safer than conventional nuclear power plants. However, critics doubted that mini-nuclear power plants actually produced cheaper electricity. To date, only two SMRs are in commercial operation worldwide – one in Siberia and one in China. (sda/con)